Locking-rack



C. E. CAMPBELL.

LOCKING BACK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4, 1916.

' of the invention, such as will enable othersV PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. CAMPBELL, OF LYNN, :MIASSACI-IUSIEJlTS.V

LOCKING-RACK.

A Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1921.

Application le. September 14, 1916. Serial No. 120,186.

To @ZZ whom t may concern. i

Be it known that l, CHARLES E. CAiirrBnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, lhave invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Lockingltacks; and l do hereby declare the 'following to be a full, clear, and exact description skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the'same.

- This invention relates to racks used for supporting clothing or robes, in places where there is danger of theft; The invention is designed particularly for use in connection with automobiles Vand carriages for the purpose of holding overcoats and laprobes.

The object of the invention is to produce a rack, o f simple and inexpensive construetion, which may be locked in engagement with the articles supported thereby, and by which such articles may be held secure against removal "so long as the rack is locked.' Y

To thel foregoing end the invention comi prises, among other features of construction, two relatively movable members between which articles of clothing and the like may be supported and clamped. These members are so formed, on their' opposed `surfaces,vas to bend and hold the fabric of the articles in a tortuous form which renders it diflicult to remove the articles by withdrawing them from between the members of Vthe rack, although they are not 'necessarily subjected to any great or severe pressureV by the clamping-members. The invention also comprises various features of construction which render it convenient in operation and adaptable to use with ar ticles varying in number, width and thickness. i

Other objects of the invention, and the features 4of construction by which they are attained, will be set lforth inconnelction with the following description of the illustrated embodiment of theinvention. Y

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a' plan-view of a locking-rack embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end-view of the rack, showing the manner in which is'a partial horizontal section on the line ele- 4l of Fig. A2, 'but on a larger scale than the latter figure.

T he invention is illustrated as embodied in va rack comprising two elongated substantially parallel clamping-members.l One of these members, which may be described as the base-member, comprises a strip of sheetemetal 5 which is corrugated longitudinally to provide two channels and an intervening rib, as shown particularly in Fig. 2. The part 5 is fixed, at its ends, to castings 6 which are provided with lugs 7 by which they may be conveniently secured to a stationary support, such, for example, as the back of the forward seat of an automobile or other vehicle, the lockingnrack being designed to take the placeof the racks commonly used at the location in question.

The other clamping-member, which is movable, comprises a strip 8 of sheet-metal which is corrugated to provide two ribs coinciding with the channels of the base-member. The part 8 is fixed, at its ends, to castings 9, and another strip 10 of sheet-metal is formed to embrace the upper and lower margins of thepart 8, being fixed thereto by screws as shown in Fig. l, while the ends of the part 10 extend to the castings 9, the parts 8, 9 and l0 thus producing a hollow closed member of considerable rigidity in proportion to its weight.

The movable clamping-member is supported on two posts 1l', which project horizontally from the ends of the base-member, these posts being fixed in the castings G as shown in Fig.v Ll. The movable. member is provided with openings through which the posts pass loosely, and with bearing-sleeves 12 on the castings 9 to providel extended bearings between the parts.

In addition to supporting the movable clamping-member while permitting it to be moved toward and 4from the base-member, the posts 11 constitute parts of a locking mechanism by which the clamping-members are locked in adjusted relation. For this purpose each post is provided, on its inner surface, with a series of ratchet-teeth 13.

/These teeth coperate with locking-bolts 14E inclosed within the movable clamping-member. At their outer ends the bolts are mounted slidingly in bearings in the Vcastings 9, and are provided with teeth to co- Near their inner ends the bolts wardly into coperative engagement with the posts, and when the bolts are 1n operative position they act to prevent movement of either end of the movable clamping-member away from the base-member.V

To provide for unlocking the movable clamping-member when necessary, a lockmechanism 17 is Vinclosed within the movable member, this Vlock-mechanism being of any ordinary or suitable form, and having a barrel-V18. which projects through the front 10 of the movable-member, so thatna keymay befconveniently introduced into the lockmechanism. This mechanism is Vprovided with a bolt 19Y which is moved inwardly and outwardly by the key, in the usual manner, but the bolt is somewhat modified in form, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it may be used as means-for actuating the bolts 14. For thisfpurpose the bolt 19 is provided with a shoulder which engages a lug 20 on one of the bolts 14. When the key is introduced in theV.,lock-mechanism and turned the bolt moves outwardly, that is, to the left as shown in Fig.3, thus causing the lug 20, and the bolt 14to which the lug is fixed, to move in a direction to disengage the endV of said bolt 14; from the corresponding post.V

In order that the otherV bolt 14 may be moved out of operative position at the same time, the two bolts '14: are connected by .a lever 21 pivotedat the middle of the movable clamping-member, the ends of this lever engage yokesu22 Xed to the respective bolts .14. .The effect of ,the lock-mechanism 17,

therefore, is to move both of the bolts inwardlyl and thus vunlock both ends of the movable clamping-member sim'ultaneously. When the key is turned in the opposite direction the bolt 19 is retracted, and the springs 16 thereupon act to move the lock-l ing-bolts 14: outwardly into operative engagement with the posts. Y

For convenience in'manipulating the movable clamping-member it is provided with knobs 23 at its ends. The outer ends of the posts 11 are connected by a stationary rod 24, which serves to guard the ends of the posts, tofstrengthen the structure as a whole,

Yand to prevent entire withdrawal of the clamping-member from the posts. The'rod 2414 also may be used as a supplementary rack .for` supporting articles which it is not desired toi lock on the rack.

' The locking-rack above described is used as follows: The article which is-to'be supported and secured thereby is passedbetween the two'clamping-members, as shown at 25 in F ig. 2, Vand may be doubled over the movable clamping-memberso as to hang there-y on. `When it is desired Yto secure the article against removal the movable clampingn memberis pressed, at both ends, firmly wardv the base-member, with the result that the article 25 is bent to a 'tortuous form be- Vlocking bolts. upon the posts, and the parts so remain until released by the ,use ,of the appropriate key.v p Y Y l/Vhile the clamp-i,ng-'members have been be understood that slight departures from the parallel position may .occur in use, ow-VV described -as substantially parallel, it.l willV p tion to the base-member without cramping upon the posts, and that the locking-mechanism will secure it in any such-angular relation owing tothe independent action of the locking-mechanismat the two ends of the clamping-.membersj- This is a valuable characteristic of thegconstruction, since it per-V ployed throughout the extent of the clamping-members, regardless of differences in the .mits a secure clamping pressure to be emthickness Vof the various portions of Athearticle or articles which are to be secured in the rack. It will also be noted that the use of the corrugations in the sheet-metal members 5 and 8 not only provides for holding securely the articles which are placed between the members, but also imparts to them a degree of stiff-ness which permits the use of comparatively light members consistently held between them.

l with substantial pressure against thearticles Y Y The invention is not limited to 'the em- Y bodiment hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,but maybe embodied in various other forms, within the scope of the following claims.

l/Vhat is claimed is A 1. A rack having, in combination, a stationary base; posts projecting from the ends of the base; a rod rigidly connecting the ends of the posts; a bar slidingly mounted, atits ends, upon the posts and ,movable t0- ward and from the base; meansfor securing thel ends of the vbar independentlysin adjusted position on the posts; and devices formed on the opposing faces of the Ybase and bar to lock anrarticle under pressure in a tortuous form.` Y f. Y

2. A' rack having, inco-mbination, a base member arranged to be secured to a Wall; independently to lock the respective ends a, pair of posts mounted at each end of the of said bar to the posts at variable distancesl base member; a bar slidingly mounted on from the base; and unitary means located 10 the posts; a series of coperating eorruganear one end of the bar for unlocking both tions formed on the opposing faces of the ends of the bar from the posts simultabase and bar and extending longitudneously.

nelly of said base and bar; means operable CHARLES E. CAMPBELL. 

